Combined mixing container structure and hypodermic syringe for segregated ingredients of hypodermically injectable preparations



Nov. 22, 1955 M. L. LOCKHART COMBINED MIXING CONTAINER STRUCTURE ANDHYPODERMIC SYRINGE FOR SEGREGATED INGREDIENTS OF HYPODERMICALLYINJECTABLE PREPARATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1951 1 nil! IIsllllll ilalllvu :lliiill' 1 iiuikl EVE L V- 55 M. L. LOCKHART COMBINEDMIXING CONTAINER STRUCTURE AND HYPODERMIC SYRINGE FOR SEGREGATEDINGREDIENTS OF HYPODERMICALLY INJECTABLE PREPARATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 28, 1951 INVENTOR.

4 .[0 A A A/?Z' 15 ATTORNEYSI 2,724,383 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 UnitedStates Patent Ofiice COMBINED MIXING CUNTAINER STRUCTURE AND HYPODERMICSYRINGE FOR SEGRE- GATED INGREDIENTS OF HYPODERMICALLY INJECTABLEPREPARATIONS 16 Claims. (Cl. 128--215) The present invention relates tomixing containers for storage of segregated ingredients of liquidpreparations intended to be hypodermically injected and manipulatable tobring the segregated ingredients together for admixture and thereafterallowing direct hypodermic administration of mixture contents with useof a part of the device. Devices of the present invention constituteimprovernents on those disclosed and claimed in my respective copendingpatent applications Mixing Container for Segregated Ingredients ofTherapeutic Preparations, Serial No. 202,334, now Patent No. 2,636,493;and Single Dosage Disposable Hypodermic Syringe Ampules and Assemblies,Serial No. 202,333, now Patent No. 2,625,157; bothfiled December 22,1950. t

A general object of the present invention is to provide such mixingcontainer and hypodermic syringe devices, the parts of which are ofsimple construction, readily produced economically on a mass basis, andeasily assembled together to form syringe barrel structures andassociated compartments for segregated storage of components orlngredients of hypodermically injectable preparations, withintercommunication between compart- 1 ments seprately storingingredients being readily permitted by simple manipulation of thecannula means which is to be employed in the hypodermic administrationof mixture contents and of associated stiucture.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide suchdevices which are characterized by the provisionof the segregating orisolating compartments in the form of connecting or interfittingcontainers with associated cannula means so manipulatable simultaneouslyas to provide intercommunication between the compartments via thecannula means for effective transfer and intermixing of ingredients, andthereafter permitting in a simple manner employment of parts, includingone of the compartment units and the cannula means, for effectinghypodermic injection of the resulting :mixture.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such pluralityof connectable or interfittable compartment units and the cannula meansin a form which permits their separate supply in lots whereby apractitioner 1 may readily assemble a cannula means unit with any oneofa pair of compartment units separately housing certain ingredients ofdesired hypodermically injectable preparations without the employment ofany special skill.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device, inthe form of a pair of containers for separately housing ingredients tobe mixed, with the con: tainers having hollow necks capable of beingtelescoped.

together and suitably sealed off at their bottomsby diaphragm means,such necks being adapted together to house a double-ended cannula whichmay be brought to puncture of both of the diaphragm means with telescopeof the necks so as to permit transfer of liquid from one container tothe other for effective admixture of' in- H gredients and with onecontainer and the cannula being thereafter adapted to serve as ahypodermic syringe for hypodermic administration of mixture contents.

provide a plural-unit assembly wherein separate units effectively andsegregatively house different ingredients while being capable of beingbrought together to an initial ready condition for protectively housinga cannula in a sterile state, and allowing efiicient maintenance of suchsegregative and protective characteristics during storage,transportation and distribution, the parts of the assembly being easilymanipulated at will to a communicative condition for admixture of thesegregated materials, and finally to an administering condition forhypodermic injection of admixture.

And another object of the invention is to provide structural embodimentsof the device which are readily and economically constructed and permitsimple and efiicient use and operation thereof.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the followa ing detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective exploded view of the embodiment of the inventionshowing three parts thereof aligned for assembly, with the bottoms ofthe container being shown open, for reception of medicinal ingredientsto be separately housed therein;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l but with the elementsbrought together in a ready condition with the containers closed tohouse ingredients, such assembly being of a form in which the device maybe distributed or carried for use.

Fig. 3 is a partial axial sectional view taken substantially on line 33of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 4--4 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged axial section, with the parts broken away, of thestructure shown in Fig. 3 and indicating the relative positions of partsin the ready condition just as telescope of one container neck withinthe other begins as an initial step of operating the device to thecommunicative condition for admixture of housed ingredients;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing progressive tive conditionand indicating in dot-dash lines applica tion of pressure to elasticwalls of the liquid-housing container to transfer the liquid to theother container; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are elevational views: to a smallerscale and with parts in section of thedevice shown in Figs. 1 to 7.incL, indicating the preferred orientation thereof after manipulationof parts to the communicative? condition, and showing step-by-step apreferred manipulative procedure for transferring the liquid from onecompartment through the cannula bore to the other, there to be admixedwith another ingredient, such as medicinal solids in powder or pillform; 3

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of one container with the cannula mountedin its neck, which may serve as a 3 hypodermic syringe for hypodermicadministration of mixture contents, after removal from the assembly ofFig. of the container unit in which the liquid had been originallyhoused, and thus the administering condition of the device;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the hypodermic syringe structure shownin Fig. 11 and indicating application of pressure to the elastic wallsthereof for ejection of mix? ture contents as in the hypodermicadministration or injection of such contents;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged axial section, with parts broken away, of amodified form of the structure of the hollow neck of one container inwhich the cannula mount is slidably received;

Fig. 14 is an axial section, with parts broken away, of complementarytelescoped necks showing modified structures thereof for facilitatingventing of entrapped air;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 15-,15of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is an axial section, with parts broken away, of a modified formof the structure shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 17 is an axial section similar to Fig. 3 of another modification;

Fig. 18 is an axial section to an enlarged scale, with parts brokenaway, of a further modified form of the device of, the presentinvention; and

Fig. 19 is a side view to a reduced scale, and with parts in section, ofa connecting sleeve and cannula subassembly of the Fig. 18 structurehoused in protective end caps for supply as a unit separate from thecomplementary containers;

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals identify similar partsthroughout, it will be seen that an embodiment of the present inventionas illustrated in Figs. 1 to 12 incl. may comprise a collapsible wallcontainer 20, preferably in the form of a collapsible tube, havingrelatively thin, highly flexible elastic side walls and, for

this purpose, preferably made of an elastic plastic material, such as apolyethylene composition. Desirably, the composition employed istransparent, at least to a degree permitting inspection of containercontents and covered parts. A further advantage of using one of thepolyethylene compositions resides in the fact that they are readilymolded to desired shapes, with the molded products being shatterproof,moisture-proof, and effectively fluid-tight. Thus, such collapsible tubecontainers will not permit leakage of contained liquids, even underappreciable internal pressure, and are substantially inert tomedicinaland therapeutic preparations and in redients thereof intended to bestored therein and administered therefrom. Also, bodies thereof, even ofsubstantial thickness, are readily pierceable by a needle withthematerial at the margin of a needle-pierced perforation haying theinherent characteristic effectively of gripping the exterior of theneedle to there form a substa-ntially .fiuidtight seal. Of course, othersuitable materials having the proper characteristics to answer thedemands .of a particular use or desired functioning of acertainstmct-ural embodiment within the scope of the invention may beemployed in the practice thereof.

As best shown in Fig. 3, one side of the collapsible wall container 20,i. e., one end 21 of the elastic plastic tube, is closed by aneedle-pierceable portion or diaphragm 22 preferably in the form of aflexible membrane, and when made as an integral part of the elasticplastic container has'certain elasticity. A head 23 is mounted upon end21 of container 20, preferably in the form of a hollow neck having asocket, desirably in the form of a cylindrical bore 24, extendinglongitudinally or axially thereof, closed at its inner end or bottom bydiaphragm 22. The outer end 25 of thehollow neck '23 constitutes anabutment for cooperative association with certain stop means, asexplained hereinafter. As will be seen from Figs. 1,2 and 3, thecontainer preferably is molded integrally with the neck 23 and diaphragm22 and has its bottom end 26 open to receive therein a charge of aningredient of a therapeutic preparation or composition, such as a dosageof medicinal liquid to be hypodermically administered. In the Figs. 1 to12 incl. embodiment such ingredient preferably may comprise a body 27 ofsolids in particulate or pill form with which a liquid ingredient is tobe admixed. After the body of ingredient 27 is loaded into thecompartment provided by the interior of collapsible tube 20, the bottomend 26 of the latter may be securely closed by pinching opposite edgestogether and heat sealing, as at 28 in Figs. 2 and 3.

The hollow neck 23 is adapted to receive therein and, if desired, carrya cannula 24 which carries a laterallyprojecting means 30 fixed thereto,preferably in the form of a hub body, with the cannula preferably beingsupportablein the bore 24 by means of the hub body 30.

he cannula-supporting body 30 may, as is best seenin Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6and 7, comprise a cylindrical slug with a cylindrical side surface 31,smooth if desired, although as indicated in Fig. 16, such cylindricalsurface may be knurled or milled. The cylindrical cannula-supportingbody or slug 30 is of such diameter as to be slidable in the bore 24with some frictional resistance to tend to hold it in any position ofadjustment. As shown, the cannula 29 preferably is in the form of adouble-ended hypodermic needle with its inward or diaphragm-piercing end32 projecting a relatively short distance inwardly of the inner side orend 33 of the needle-supporting body 30, and with its major portion oroutward injective'end 34 extending outwardly of the outer side or end 35of its support body.

As indicated in Fig. 3, normally the support body 30 is to be mounted ata certain point in the bore 24 so that the cannula inner end 32 extendstoward but short of or is spaced outwardly of the diaphragm 22 to avoidpuncture of the latter. It is temporarily held in such positionpreferably by making the support body 30 slightly oversize, or, i. e.,of a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the bore 24, so thatit will be slidable therein but can be frictionally held in any desiredposition. By employing elastic plastic composition from which to formthe container body and its head or neck 23, the walls of the hollow neckwill have some elasticity so as to permit the desired sliding action ofthe support body 30 therein, especially when the latter is made ofsubstantially rigid material, such as metallic composition, as may bepreferred. Flexibility of the neck 23 may be limited to a small degreeby making the walls thereof relatively thick while assuring relativelyhigh flexibility in the container side walls by making them relativelythin, characteristic of such plastic compositions due to their uniquemoduli of rigidity.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 12 incL, a second or complementarycontainer 36 is provided for housing the other ingredient of thetherapeutic preparation and may, as therein shown, be in the form ofanother elastic plastic collapsible tube somewhat similar to tube 20except for certain head or neck structure thereof. Accordingly, its headend 21 is also closed by a needle-pierceable diaphragm 22 preferablymade as an integral part of the body of that container. Since head orneck 37 of tube 36 is intended to constitute certain sleeve means forconnecting the contaniers together, preferably it is in the form of anelongated cylindrical member having an axial bore 38 terminating atclosing diaphragm 22 and freely receivable of the outward injectiveneedle end 34 The connecting sleeve means comprising neck 37 has itsaxial bore 38 counterbored at its outer end to provide a cylindricalsocket 39, from the inner or bottom end of which preferably with arelatively close fit, and the cylindrical recess 40 is adapted toreceive therein the outer end 25 of that other container neck, as isindicated in Figs. 3 to 7 incl., with the bottom of the recess servingas a stop for abutment end 25 of neck 23 to limit telescope of thelatter therein, while the piston post 41 servesto push theneedle-supporting body 30 forward or down into neck bore 24 to bring theinward needle end 32 to puncture of diaphragm 22 of the first container20. The length of bore.38 from abutment end 42 of piston post 41 to itsbottom closing diaphragm 22 is, as shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7,appreciably shorter than the outward end 34 of the cannula 29, so thatthe latter will pierce through that diaphragm to bring the cannula bore43 (indicated in Fig. 4) intocornmunication with the compartmentprovided by the interior of collapsible tube 36 and with the preparationingredient housedtherein, preferably in the form of a body 44 of liquid,such as distilled water, when the solids are housed in the othercontainer 20.

3 In use of the combined storing and mixing hypodermic syringe deviceillustrated in Figs. 1 to 12.incl., the threepart assembly comprisingcomplementary containers 20 and 36and cannula sub-assembly 29, with thelatter protectively housed within the telescoped necks 23 and 37 whenthe assembly is in the ready" condition shown in Figs; 2 and 3, may bedesirably employed for effective distribution of the ingredients of asingle hypodermic dosage. The physician, technician or user may selectone such ready assembly and manipulate it in the simple following mannerto mix the ingredients of theliquid preparation and then administer themhypodermically. Containers 20 and 36 are pushed toward each other sothat their necks telescope together in the direction of the arrows 45,45 indicated in Figs. 3,5 and 6. This will cause the outer end 25 ofneck 23 to slide into recess 40 until the outward injective needle end34 piercesthrough diaphragm 22 of liquid-containing container 36, asindicated in Fig. ,6. This isassured by virtue of the fair amount offrictional resistance of needle-supporting body 30 to slide forward inneck bore 24. Thus, the needle bore 43 is first brought intocommunication with the body 44 of liquid ingredient in container 36,with the outer abutment end 42 of piston post 41 approaching to contactwith the outer end35 of the needle-supporting body 30. Thereafter, withfurther telescope of the necks 23 and 37, piston post 41 pushesneedle-supporting body 30forward or down into neck bore 24 to punctureof diaphragm22 of container 20 by the inward needle end 32, as shown inFig. 7. This is the communicative condition of the device. Further,telescope of the necks is prevented by abutment of the outer end 25 ofneck23 against the stop provided by the bottom of cylindrical recess 40.

The operator then preferably holds the device in a somewhat uprightposition with the liquid-containing collapsible tube 36 uppermost, asindicated in Fig. 7. By lateral application of inward pressure to theside Walls of the collapsible tube 36 in the direction of thearrows 46,46, as shown in Fig. 7, such as by squeezing, the cubic capacity of theliquid-containing tube 36 is reduced, as indicated by dot-dash lines,and a quantity of the liquid is forced Clown through cannula bore 43into the solidscon taining collapsible tube 20, as indicated by thedot-. dash arrows 47, 47. This is permitted by virtue of the fact thatthe compartment provided by the interior of collapsible tube 20 containsboth body 27 of the solids and an appreciable head 48 of gaseous medium,such as sterile air, which, of course, is compressible. Aftersuchtransfer of a quantity of the liquid 44 from the uppermost container36 to the lowermost container 20 and at a time when the pressure builtup in tube 20 by addition thereto of a quantity of the liquid tends tocheck flow of the latter, relief of lateral pressure applied to the sidewalls of tube 36 will permit them to spring out substantially totheirformer positions, indicated in full lines in Fig. 7,

by virtue of the elasticity of the material from which the tube isformed. This will create a partial vacuum in top tube 36, and thedifferential in pressure in the two tubes will cause air to pass upthrough the needle bore 43 into the top tube.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate subsequent steps of transfer of additionalquantities of liquid from the toptube 36 to the bottom tube 20 until thedesired quantity of liquid for admixture with the solids is attained. Asindicated in Fig. 8, re-application of lateral pressure to the sides oftube 36 in the direction of arrows46, 46 will again cause a quantity ofthe remaining portion of liquid 44 (now superposed by a head of air 50which was transferred from bottom tube 20) again to be forced downthrough the needle bore 43 to spray into tube 20, as indicated at 47. Itwill thus be understood that by such repeated procedure substantiallyall of the liquid 44 may be transferred from tube 36 to tube 20. Suchliquid transfer may be speeded by an alternating application of suchlateral pressure first to the side walls of top tube 36 to force aquantity of liquid down therefrom into bottom tube 20 and then to theside walls of the bottom tubein the direction of the arrows 51, 51 tospeed reverse travel of air from the bottom tube to the top tube. Thequantity of transferred liquid in bottom tube 20 is indicated at 5 2 inFig. 9, in which the solids have begun to dissolve. Fig. 10 illustratesthe next step of alternate squeezing which may transfer the finalquantity of liquid 44 down into tube 20. Thereafter, the assembly, whichnow is characterized by collection of a major portion or almost all ofthe liquid 44 in the solids-containing tube 20,may be shakenlongitudinally to assure thorough admixture of the ingredients withinthe tube 20 compartment.

The device of Figs. 1 tof12 incl. is then brought to the administeringcondition by withdrawal of the now substantially empty tube 36, with theneck 23 being slid out of the connecting sleeve means provided by theneck struc ture 37. This will produce the hypodermic syringe structureshown in Fig. ll, with the needle 29 and its supporting body 30remaining in bore 24 of neck 23 substantially at the position indicatedin Fig. 7, and with the.

sible tube 20 in the direction of the arrows 53,53 shown in Fig. 12 soas to eject therefrom the contained therapeutic preparation.Incidentally, in order to facilitate ready identification of thecollapsible tubes for the preferred orientation indicated in Figs. 5 to10 incl, during transfer of liquid contents of one tube to the other,tube 26, which is to serve as the hypodermic ampule, may carryanidentification mark, such as H, as indicated at 54, to contrast withthe arrow 49 on tube 36.

It is to be understood that, within the scope of the invention, thecollapsible tubes 20 and 36 housing the different ingredients oftherapeutic preparations and the needle unit 29 need not, if desired, bedistributed in the assembled ready condition proposed in Figs. 2 and 3.A supply of solids-containing tubes 20 may be maintained separately froma supply of liquid-containingt'ubes 36, with a single needle unit 29intended to be used successively with a matched or complementary pairthereof. Of course, in such case, the needle unit 29 will requirewithdrawal from the emptied hypodermic syringe ampule 20,

proper sterilization and reinsertion in the neck of another loadedcollapsible tube 20, followed by telescope of the sleeve means 37 of aselected loaded tube 36 over the ampule tube neck 23.

assess;

Qperation and usage of the embodiment-of the device shown in Figs. 1 to12 inclusive, has indicated a tendency for air entrapped within thetelescoped necks of the conrie'cted complementary containers to givesome slight resistance to further telescoping motion. This, however, hasbeenfound to be of a degree which does notprevent proper communicativeand admixing operations since, due to the elasticity of the materialfrom which the collapsible tubes are preferably formed, sufficient airwill bleed out between juxtaposed surfaces of the telescoping neckportions as to permit eventual puncture of both diaphragms by the needleends. Such tendency may be reduced, if desired, by providing ventingways along such juxtaposed surfaces. Such venting ways may be providedby forming longitudinal ribs on either the exterior cylindrical side ofthe tube neck 23, or the outer wall of the cylindrical recess 40 opposedthereto, The latter structural arrangement, shown in Figs 3 to 7inclusive, will be most readily understood by reference to Fig. 4wherein are shown a plurality of longitudinally-extending ribs 55-55made integral with the sleeve structure 37 and provided on the outerwall of recess 40. That recess wall preferably is of such slightlyoversize diameter with respect to the outer diameter of neck 23 as to bespaced from the latter by those ribs to provide intervening venting orrelief Ways while the ribs snugly engage neck 23 for guidance duringtelescopic movement of the necksr l Further, it may be found to bedesirable to have the needle bore 43 brought to communication first withthe compartment in which the solids are housed before PUHC'. turefof theliquid-containing compartment diaphragm so that no liquid will tend toflow or leak into the space within the telescoped necks. Of course, suchleakage is resisted by any air pressure developed in that space andproper operation has been found to be obtainable even thoughtheliquid-containing compartment diaphragm is punctured before thesolids-containing compartment diaphragm is punctured. If such precedingpuncture of the solids-containing compartment diaphragm is desired, thelocations ofthe bodies of solids and liquid, respectively 27 and 44, maybe reversed in the Fig. 3 structure, and,

in-such event, the liquid will first be transferred from the ampule tube2 to the other tube 36 for admixture in the latter, and then theadmixture contents of tube 36 will be transferred in reverse directionback to ampule tube 20 by manipulations similar to those proposed inFigs. 7 tolO inclusive.

Such a reversed location of the bodies of ingredients (27 and 44) isgraphically illustrated in Fig. 13 wherein ampule "tube 20 is shown tocontain the liquid body 44. i

. body or, slug may abut temporarily to resist inward sliding of theslug until such time as the outward end 34 of the needle has piercedthrough the other diaphragm.-

By virtue of the elasticity of the material from which the walls of tube20 and its neck 23 are formed, the latter eventually will swellsufiiciently and the nibs or teats 56-56 may distort to a degree whichwill permit needleasupporting body 30 to be slid inward or down intoneek bore 24 by the piston means or post 41 substantially to theposition indicated in dot-dash lines at 57 in Fig. 13, with inwardneedle end 32 pierced through diaphragm 22 as indicated in dot-dashlines at 58 in Fig. 13.

If one should needlessly have any concern regarding properv venting or anecessity for relief of pressure of air trapped within the telescopingnecks, and particularly th re rd o t ishlmar e r pped: ah d f e tl -rmmage; sdr 3 h a at ur e. sta er ditional venting ways. provided by ribstructure similar to that indicated in Fig. 4. As indicated in Figs. 14,and

15, the outer cylindrical wall of recess 40 of container neck or sleevemeans 37 may be provided with a plurality of the longitudinal ribs55-55; and, in similar fashion, the wall of bore 24 in neck 23 of theother container maybe provided with a plurality of similarlongitudinally-extending ribs 155-155. It should be apparent that withthe neck bore 24 of aninner diameter slightly larger than the outerdiameter of needle-supporting body or slug 30, and with the use of ribs155-1 55 having their crowns adapted snugly to engage the cylindricalsurface 31 of that slug, the parts will operate similarly to the actiondescribed above in connection with the Figs. 1 to 12 embodiment. Ventingways effectively will be provided past the needle-supporting body andfrom out of the space between necks 23 and 37 by way of the spaceintervening the ribbed wall bore 24 and the inner wall of recess 40 (i.e., outer surface of piston post 41) between ribs 155-155; throughrecess 40; and finally to atmosphere from recess 40 back out between thespace opposed outer cylindrical surface of neck 23 and the outercylindrical wall of recess 40 in between the ribs -55. If desired, suchinner rib structure may be formed on the cylindrical surface definingthe inner wall. of recess 40 (i. e., the exterior surface of piston post41) rather than on the cylindrical Wall of neck bore 24, and. in suchcase, if venting past the needle-supporting body 30 is desired, itscylindrical surface 31 may be milled or grooved, as shown in Fig. 16. I

As indicated in Fig. 16, a further modified form of the invention maycomprise an ampule collapsible tube container 20 similar to thatproposed in Figs. 1 to 12 incl., with itsneck 23 having a bore 24slidably receivable of a needle-supporting body or slug 130. Thecylindrical side surface of needle-supporting slug 130 preferably isfluted, milled, or provided with grooves 59-59, which, of course, willpermit free passage of gases or trapped air from in front of the leadingside 33 to the rear side 35 of that slug. The neck structure of thecompanion container 136 may be considerably simplified by forming it (asindi! cated at 123) as an elongated structure somewhat similar to neck23with its external cylindrical surface provided, if desired, with aplurality of longitudinallyaextending small ribs 255-255 so as torelieve air pressure from within the telescoping necks. Preferably theparts of the embodiment shown in Fig. 16 are so dimensioned relative toeach other as to assure a fair lapping of the telescoped necks prior toengagement of the outer piston end 142 of neck 123 against the rear face35 of slug 130 so that, if desired, the three parts may be supplied inthe preliminarily assembled or ready condition, as proposed in Figs. 3and 16.

Fig. 17 indicates that, if desired, an embodiment of the presentinvention may employ as one of the containers a rigid wall structure,such as a glass vial or bottle 236. The bottle 236 may have anexternally-threaded neck 60 to the end of which is fitted aneedle-pierceable diaphragm 122, such as a rubber membrane, held inplace by an internally-threaded ring or centrally-apertured threaded cap61. Such glass vial structure will be recognized as similar to awell-known type of bottle in which liquid hypodermic preparations arefrequently supplied to, physicians and technicians. However, bottle 236pref-. erably will be of such size as to accommodate body 44v of liquidingredient substantially in the quantity supplied in the embodiment ofFigs. 1 to 12 incl., and a small head 62 of sterile gas or air. means137 may be formed similar to the neck 37 of the Figs. 1 to 12embodiment, except that its base at the. bottom of its axial bore 38 isformed as a socketed enlarge ment 63, with the axial socket 64 thereinadapted snugly to, receive the bottle cap 61. Thus, the connectingsleeve. 1 m be u ces v mp oy d wit a ura it ttl s .36; nd. hy n er ie amle c nt iner 20-,

It w l; e und r q a n e. ope at n t the i 1. ev c esc Q q la b e tubsmpule The connecting sleeve 24 into the connecting sleeve recess 40 willcause the outward injective end 34of the needle 29 to pierce through thebottle-closing membrane, or diaphragm 122, and then the piston post 41,to push the needlesupporting body 30 down in neck bore 24 so that theother needle end 32 pierces through collapsible tube diaphragm 22.Transferof liquid from the. bottle 236 to the compartment provided byelastic collapsible tube may then beetfected by holding the bottleuppermost and squeezing the Walls of the depending collapsible tube toforce some air from the latter up through theneedle bore into thebottle. This is permitted by means of the compressibility of the gashead 62 in the bottle.. Upon release of the elastic flexible walls ofcollapsible ampule tube 20 a differential in pressure in the twocompartments is provided by the partial vacuum created in tube 20 andthe elevated pressure in the bottle 236 due to compression of gas in thelatterupon the addition thereto of a quantity from the collapsible tube.Such differential in pressure will cause transfer of a quantity of theliquid 44 in the bottle down through the needle into the collapsibletube compartment. This pumping action may be repeated until transfer ofthe desired or substantially all of the .body of liquid 44 is effected.Of course, thereafter the ingredient solids 27 housed in tube 20 arethoroughly admixed with the liquid in the col: lapsible ampule tubecompartment; and with removal of.

thesleeve 137 from the tube neck 23, there will be produced a hypodermicsyringe device similar to that of Figs. 1 to 12 incl., to be used in alike manner.

As proposed in Fig. 18, both of the containers which are to housedifferent ingredients of a liquid preparation and to.be connected fortransfer of a liquid ingredient from one to the other, may be of likestructure, such as similar to elastic collapsibletube 20, soas tosimplify cost of molds and molding operations. This may be accomplishedin a simple manner by using therewith a connecting sleeve means in theform of a tubular member 65 with one end 66 adapted to be telescopedinto bore 24 of one neck 23, and with the other, preferably similar, end67 adapted to telescope within the other neck bore 24. The end 67 oftubular member 65 provides a piston abutment 142 adapted to be broughtto contact with the rearside 35 of needle-supporting body or slug 30 soas to force the inward end 32 of needle 29 through the adjacentdiaphragm 22. The tubular member 65'has a through bore 238 to receivetherethrough outer injective end 34 ofneedle 29 so that that end may bepierced through the other diaphragm 22. i

The tubular member 65 of the Fig. 18 structure is provided externally,preferably medially or midway between its opposed ends, with suitableabutment means to be engaged by both of the outer ends 25, of thecollapsible tube necks 23, 23. Preferably such abutment means maycomprise a circumferential flange 68, as indicated in Fig. 18 and asmore clearly shown in Fig. 19. Such abutment flange 68 is desirable tolimit telescope of piston providing end 67 down into one of the neckbores 24 so as to avoid jamming the needle-supporting body against theadjacent diaphragm with attendant danger of rupture thereof. Alsoabutment flange 68 serves to limit telescope of the other tubular memberend 66 in the other neck bore 24 so that the forward piston abutment 142will drive the needle-supporting body 30 forward in the neck bore inwhich it is located.

As indicated in Fig. 19, the needle unit 29 including its supportingbody 30', and the connecting sleeve means or tubular member 65 of theFig. 18 embodiment, may be supplied together as a sub-assembly to besuccessively used with paired collapsible tube units containing thedifferent ingredients. For such purpose, the sub-assembly may be in asimple manner housed under sterile conditions within two similarcapsules 69, 69 which respectively telescope over the ends 66 and 67 ofthe tubular member to abutment of the opposite sides of thecircumambient midfiange 65, as shown.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i l

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A combined storing, mixing and hypodermic syringe device comprising,in combination, means providing separated compartments for segregatedstorage of separate ingredients of an injectable liquid solution to beadministered hypodermically, said compartments being defined by wallmeans opposed portions of which are needlepierceable and spaced withreception therebetween of a double-ended cannula means for transfer viathe bore of the latter of liquid from one compartment to the other foradmixture of the ingredients and with one ofsaid compartments beingadapted thereafter to serve as a hypodermic syringe ampule, at least aportion of said ampule compartment wall means being movable to vary thevolumetric capacity of this compartment to facilitate transfer of liquidfrom one compartment to the other in the admixing of the ingredients andfor expulsion of admixture contents in the hypodermic administration ofthe latter, a double-ended cannula means interposed between said opposedneedle-pierceable wall portions and having a through bore with each ofits ends being pierceable of one of said needle-pierceable wall portionsto bring said compartments into communication through said bore formixing the ingredients in one of the latter and with one of the ends ofthe cannula means thereafter being withdrawable from the wall portion ofthe compartment other than the ampule compartment in uncovered conditionhypodermically to deliver the admixture contents of the volume-variableampule compartment, said cannula means carrying affixed thereto betweenits ends laterally-projecting means, and telescopic sleeve means havingparts mounted to said compartments in surrounding relation to saidneedle-pierceable portions thereof, said telescopic sleeve means beingin extended telescopic condition and effectively housing said interposeddouble-ended cannula means and its laterally-projecting means, one ofsaid sleeve means parts having abutment means to engage saidlaterally-projecting means and to thrust one end of said cannula meansthrough one of said needle-pierceable portions during foreshorteningtelescope of said parts together.

2. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 1 characterized bythe formation of at least a portion of the walls of saidampulecompartment from elastic material to permit decrease and increaseof volumetric capacityby squeezing and release.

3. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 1 characterized byprovision of said compartments as separable containers each having anelongated hollow neck with one telescopically received in the otherhollow neck serving as the telescopic sleeve means which cooperativelyhouses said cannula.

4. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim3 characterized bythe closure of the bottom of said necks by puncturable diaphragms, saidcannula being a doubleended hollow needle having a through bore with itsopposite ends adapted to be thrust through the opposed diaphragms whensaid necks are telescoped further together.

5. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 4 characterized bythe provision of said laterally-projecting means as needle-supportingmeans slidably mounted in one of said necks to hold said needlesubstantially axially therein in an adjusted position, said abutmentmeans being on the other of said necks to slide said needle-supportingmeans forward in the first neck to adjusted position with the needle endin that first neck pierced through its diaphragm upon such furthertelescope of said necks together.

6. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 5 characterized bysuch relative location of said abutment means, the relative lengths ofsaid necks and of the permitted relative foreshortening telescope travelthereof, and the lengths of said needle ends on opposite sides of saidneedle-supporting means as permits upon foreshortening telescope of saidnecks first one needle end to be thrust through the diaphragm of theneck having said abutmer t means and then push of said needle-supportingmeans forward into the other first neck by said abutment means witheventual thrust through the other first neck diaphragm by the other endof said needle.

7. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 6 characterized bythe provision of the container upon which said first neck is formed withmovable wall means to permit decrease in volumetric capacity thereof topermit expulsion of contents while serving as a hypodermic ampule.

8. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 7 characterized bythe formation of said ampule container from elastic material fordeforming and recovering fiexure with attendant variation in thevolumetric capacity to assist transfer of liquid frorn one container tothe other and to permit squeezing hypodermic expulsion.

9. A combined storing, mixing and hypodermic syringe device comprising,in combination, an elastic collapsible tube housing an ingredient ofhypodermicallyinjectable liquid composition and having an elongatedhollow neck with its bore sealed ofi in the vicinity of the bottomthereof by a needle-pierceable diaphragm, a douhie-ended hypodermicneedle appreciably longer than said neck bore and having a through bore,a needle-supporting body slidably receivable in said neck bore with saidneedle extending through said body to provide one needle end on one sidefor puncture of said diaphragm and the other end of said needle on theother side to project from said neck for hypodermic use, a container forhousing another ingredient of the composition having a needlepierceablediaphragm for closing the same, connecting sleeve means having aneedle-receiving bore with one end of the latter closable by saidcontainer diaphragm and the other end adapted to telescope with saidtube neck, and piston means carried by said sleeve means. to be pushedforward in said tube-neck to advance saidneedlesupporting body in saidneck bore to puncture of said tube diaphragm by one needle end with theother needle end projecting through said sleeve means. to puncture of sac n ne iap r gm.

10. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 9 characterized bythe provision of at least one longitudinally-extending way in at leastone of the juxtaposed faces of said telescoping structures to vententrapped air.

11. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 9 characterized bythe provision of said container as another elastic collapsible tubehaving said sleeve means formed as an integral neck thereof.

12. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 9 characterized bythe provision of said sleeve and piston means as an elongated memberhaving an axial bore and provided in one end with a coaxial cylindricalrecess axially receivable of the outer end of said tube neck anddefining an inner concentric tubular element terminating short of thatend of said member to serve as said piston means.

13. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in'claim 9 characterized bythe provision of said sleeve and piston means as a separate sleeve unithaving a socket in one end receivable in a fluid-tight manner of an endof said container which is closed by its diaphragm, permitting repeateduse With a plurality of said containers and said tubes.

14. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 9 characterized bythe provision of said container as a substantial duplicate of saidelastic collapsible tube with said connecting sleeve means in the formof a separate elongated cylindrical tubular member having either of itsends slidably receivable in either of the tube neck bores with an end ofsaid member serving as the piston means.

15. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 14 characterizedby the provision of means on the exterior of said connecting tubularmember substantially at its middle to serve as a common abutment for theouter ends of both of the tube necks to limit telescope in the latter,with the sum of the axial lengths of one end of said tubular member fromthe abutment means outward and of said needle-supporting body beingwithin the limits provided on the one hand by the depth of either neckbore and on the other hand by the sum of the depth of one neck bore andthe thickness of its neck-closing diaphragm minus at least the length ofthe needle end to its bore mouth on the inward side of saidneedle-supporting body.

16. The hypodermic syringe device as defined in claim 15 characterizedby the provision of said connecting tubular member as a cylindrical tubeof a length appreciably less than the needle end on the outward side ofsaid needle-supporting body with said abutment means in the form of amedial circumferential exterior flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,718,593 Smith June 25, 1929 1,967,439 Heineman July 24, 1934 2,193,322Lozier et a1. Mar. 12, 1940 2,340,102 Barr Jan. 25, 1944 2,567,001Watson Sept. 4, 195.1 2,584,397 Pitrnan Feb. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS950,588 France Mar. 28, 1949

